Tag Archives: school budgets

Fourteen days from now, voters across the state will decide on school budgets that, in all likelihood, increase class sizes, cut programs and close schools so districts can stay within the tax cap. Here’s the link to NYSUT’s report on this. Here’s a link to a Gannett news article that talks about how municipalities also […]

Just when you think it can’t get any worse, well it does. Click here for a link to the Niagara Gazette article from yesterday that some on the school board in that community may cut kindergarten to fill the budget gap. What’s not in that article is that, for the past four years, the school […]

If you believe that headline, then there’s a bridge for sale that might just interest you. Here’s just one link about how school districts in western New York and across our state are struggling to provide what students need. Yes, it’s April Fool’s Day. It’s also the start of School Library Month. Here’s a link […]

It’s 13 weeks before voters in most school districts across the state vote on school budgets. I’ve heard, so far, of one school district where some are thinking of piercing the property tax cap. Here’s a link to the Niagara Gazette article about the Wilson schools. Last year, of course, was the first year that […]

Lots of districts made painful choices this spring to fit into that ill-advised tax cap. East Aurora in western New York was like almost all districts across the state that cut programs and increased class size. Starting this fall, students in the East Aurora schools will have larger class sizes, fewer academic choices, and less […]

It’s bittersweet to read or watch the variety of press accounts about yesterday’s school budget revotes across the state. The good news is that voters in most of those districts (22 of 24) approved their budgets. Of those, the three districts that again sought to override that irresponsible tax cap all passed. Here’s one link […]

Full-day kindergarten, high school electives, sports and extracurricular activities are on the line in 24 districts across the state today as they try once more to get budgets passed. In Hornell, only sports are on the line. That district got voters to pass their school budget, but they rejected paying for athletics with the 60 […]

It’s one week until a number of school districts across the state try once more to get school budgets approved. If you live in one of those 24 districts, please take the time to support the district’s efforts. Today’s also my last day of official grand jury duty. I am relieved to go back to […]

Hundreds of parents, teachers, students and labor activists rally today in downtown Syracuse. They’ll be wearing their union t-shirts, celebrating the success of schools and reminding folks to vote on school budgets Tuesday. If you are in central New York, look for me in the fire-engine red of my union colors. Don’t have a sign […]

Congrats to those voters who turned out to to elect new state representatives in special elections last week. Except for residents in the five large-city school districts, the public next gets a chance May 15 to go to a polling place and do what many other countries don’t allow their citizens to do: vote. It’s […]